Finding Peace Through Home: Douglas’s Story

For many people experiencing homelessness, the root cause is not a lack of effort, but a combination of hardships and systemic barriers. Rising housing costs, limited safety nets, childhood poverty, and untreated trauma can make stability difficult to achieve—even for those working hard every day. 

Douglas knows this reality firsthand. 

Douglas was born in California to a single mother who had emigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela. They had very little, and throughout Douglas’ childhood, stable housing was hard to come by. Home was often a rented room or temporary space offered by family friends or acquaintances. It was rarely private, always shared, and never permanent. 

“We’ve been struggling from the beginning,” Douglas shared as he reflected on his earliest memories growing up. “Sometimes we didn’t have food. Sometimes we didn’t have clothes.” 

Douglas’s mother worked cleaning houses to make ends meet, but even with her hard work, resources were limited. Douglas often relied on school meals for food and occasionally stayed at friends’ homes when there was nowhere else to go. No two nights looked the same. 

From a young age, survival became a responsibility. At just 16 years old, Douglas got a job at a local grocery store and began helping support both himself and his mother. For the first time, he was able to consistently help provide food, and he ultimately made the difficult decision to leave school so he could continue working full-time. 

But despite his determination and strong work ethic, it was still never enough to create long-term stability. 

The constant stress of survival eventually led Douglas to struggle with substance abuse, creating even more barriers to maintaining employment and stable housing. He experienced homelessness on and off, constantly trying to stay afloat while navigating challenge after challenge. 

Then, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic made life even more difficult. 

Every day became about survival, finding a safe place to sleep, figuring out where his next meal would come from, and trying to hold onto hope while living on the streets. 

But one unexpected encounter would change the course of his life. 

During winter of 2020, Douglas came across an emergency winter shelter through Hope of the Valley. Here, Douglas learned of resources and other organizations that support people experiencing homelessness, including LA Family Housing (LAFH). For the first time in a long time, Douglas felt a glimpse of hope for his future. 

After being connected with LAFH, Douglas was able to secure a spot at The Willows, one of LAFH’s interim housing sites. There, he met participant coordinator Mary Hassan, who immediately began working alongside him to help him regain stability and move toward permanent housing. 

“Mary never gave up on me,” Douglas said. 

During his time at The Willows, Douglas worked hard to rebuild his life. But like many people experiencing homelessness, the journey was not linear. After spending about a year at the site, Douglas fell back to substance abuse and found himself back on the streets. Still, he never lost touch with the hope he found through LAFH. 

In 2025, Douglas returned to LAFH, where he was reconnected with Mary, who remained committed to helping him find a permanent home. 

Mary worked tirelessly with Douglas, searching for apartments and navigating the complicated housing process alongside him. In December 2025, the two visited an apartment that had been approved for Douglas. But when they arrived, it became clear it was not the right fit. The unit was shared housing, and both Douglas and Mary knew he deserved a space that truly felt like his own. 

“Sometimes it’s not the right time,” Mary recalled. “And that was not the right time.” 

Even as setbacks arose, neither Douglas nor Mary gave up. With March 2026 quickly approaching, there was growing urgency because Douglas’ Section 8 voucher was nearing its expiration date. Time was running out. 

Then came the call that changed everything. 

After months of searching, paperwork, waiting, and uncertainty, Mary called Douglas with the news he had been hoping for. 

“You’re getting housed today,” she told him. 

“I couldn’t believe it,” Douglas said. “I packed up my things immediately.” 

On March 20, 2026, Douglas moved into his very first apartment of his own. 

For the first time in his life, home meant stability. 

“It’s mine,” Douglas said. “I finally have peace.” 

Before being housed, Douglas said he never truly understood what “home” meant because nothing in his life had ever felt permanent. Home had always been uncertainty, survival, chaos, and constant change. Now, home means something entirely different: safety, stability, and most importantly, peace. 

Since moving into permanent housing, Douglas has continued building toward his future. LAFH connected him with Chrysalis, a nonprofit that helps people experiencing homelessness prepare for employment and regain stability. Through Chrysalis, Douglas earned certifications and credentials that helped him secure employment with a construction company. 

Looking ahead, Douglas hopes to one day start his own nonprofit organization dedicated to giving back to others, just as others gave back to him. 

“I know how to appreciate things, everything,” Douglas shared. “I just see life differently now. I appreciate everything, just being here.” 

When asked what home means to him today, Douglas’s answer was simple. 

“Just peace,” he said. “It’s peace.”